Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has dismissed suggestions that superstition prompted his side to switch London hotels ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal, instead claiming their new Shoreditch base was simply “cheaper”.
The Spanish club, currently level at 1-1 with the Gunners after last week’s first leg, are preparing for Tuesday’s decisive encounter.
Atleti had previously stayed at the four-star Marriott Hotel in Regents Park before suffering a 4-0 defeat by Mikel Arteta’s side in the league phase back in October.
However, for this crucial last-four clash, they have relocated across the capital to the five-star Courthouse Hotel in Shoreditch, east London.
Reports had suggested Simeone ordered the move, fearing that using the same accommodation as their previous drubbing could bring bad luck.
But when questioned about the decision, Simeone responded with a smile: “The hotel was cheaper. That’s why we changed.”
Meanwhile, former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, who scored a penalty and impressed in the opening leg last week, appears set to overcome an injury to start for Atleti at the Emirates Stadium.
Alvarez, whom Simeone had previously revealed Arsenal are interested in signing, could not complete the first leg and subsequently missed Atleti’s 2-0 victory at Valencia last Saturday. However, the Argentina international, who has netted 20 times for Atleti this season, has travelled to London.
Simeone emphasised Alvarez’s significance, stating: “Julian Alvarez is important in this game because he knows the English league very well. He played really well last week, and I hope he can bring what he needs in the game tomorrow.”
The manager also offered broader tactical advice: “As coaches, we have to think about what could happen but it is down to the players. We have to manage our emotions and play as well as possible. The game changes as soon as it kicks off. Over time, you do become patient. It is not about being passive, but calm, and that is what we need in this type of game.”
For Antoine Griezmann, who has scored 212 goals in 494 appearances for Atleti, Tuesday’s match against Arsenal could mark his final appearance on Europe’s biggest stage if his team fails to progress.
The 35-year-old Frenchman, who has never won the Champions League, is set to join Major League Soccer side Orlando City at the end of the season.
Despite the personal stakes, Griezmann insisted: “It is not something I am thinking about. I am looking forward to the game tomorrow, it will be a great contest to be part of, and I hope we can have the right attitude and play with the right pressure and build on our second-half performance from the first leg.
“Every time we start a Champions League campaign you can see yourself lifting the trophy, and any child in their bedroom would do the same. We are just two games away now and we have to get it right, tactically defensively and going forward, and of course we need more goals (than Arsenal).”
